Timing meter



March 21, 1961 s. K. WOOD .El AL TIMING METER Filed Dec. 8, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ill/[111' Y Ill/ll l) IZA INVENTOR STRAUD K.Wooo By WILMERJ.F RIESEN March 21, 1961 s. K. WOOD ETAL TIMING METER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 8, 1958 INVENTORS S TRAUD K.Wooo WILMERJ.FRIESEN TIMING METER Filed Dec. 8, 1958, Ser. No. 778,713

3 Claims. (Cl. 58-142) This invention relates to timing meters in which a tensioned spring is released under normal time control apparatus, such as an escapement, but in which the spring can be immediately released to unwind or zero set independently of the time control apparatus.

Althoughsuch device has many uses it is particularly designed for vehicle parking timing meters to zero set or wipe-out paid for time on the removal of a vehicle from a parking stall prior to the elapse of the paid for time. By this arrangement a parking meter user cannot enjoy or use any unexpired paid-for time remaining on a meter upon the removal of the car of an earlier user. This arrangement will render movement of traflic more fluid as it will remove the incentive of car users to cruise the streets looking for open stalls with paid-for time on the meter.

Considerable effort has been expended in the endeavor to provide a simple effective means to wipe out or cancel unexpired paid-for time, when a car leaves a parking stall. In mostparking meters, a clock mechanism or escapement regulates spring unwinding by intermittently stopping and releasing a gear train. The amount of force to stop the timing mechanism is very slight due to the gear ratios used. For example, a magnet held close to a magnetizable escapement will stop operation of such a timing clock.

We propose, therefore, to provide suitable mechanism in clock timing meters, which will release the clock spring for immediate unwinding independent of its time control release. This can be done in a number of ways, as by providing means to release the spring from the restraining action of the escapement, or by providing means to release the spring tension independently of the escape ment as by by-passing the same.

As a matter of convenience we herein illustrate a construction in which a by-pass, clutch or differential permits the spring to unwind independently of its time control escapement, as follows:

Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken through a parking meter embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line Ill-II of Figure l with the differential housing omitted.

Figure 3 is a reduced view showing the relation of the meter to a car in a parking stall.

{Figure 4 is a reduced face view of the meter.

In the drawings, where like reference characters identify corresponding parts in all of the figures, 1 are the side frame members of a clock mechanism mounted in a meter housing 2, having an intermediate partition 3. The clock mechanism may be of any type and includes a spring 4 and an operating shaft 5 having a friction clutch 6 to prevent overwinding of the spring. The end of the shaft 5 projects through the partition 3 and has a toothed winding gear 7 which is engaged by a coin tripped lever (not detailed) as common in the art.

Journaled on the shaft 5 is a power take-off gear 8 connected by a ratchet 9 to the shaft 5 so that said United States Patent 5 2,975,585 Patented Mar. 21,

gear is not rotated when the spring is being manually or otherwise wound. The gear 8 operates a second gear 10 which is freely journaled on its shaft and carries a differential housing 10A equipped with freely rotated power take-01f gears 11 and 12'. Gear 11 has its shaft 11A connected to a suitable train of timing gears 13 controlled by an escapement and balance wheel 14; power-take oif gear 12 having its shaft 12A connected to drive a train of gears 15 controlled by a terminal wheel 16 which has a magnetizable slug or insert in its rim as shown at 17. When terminal wheel 16 is held against rotation in any manner as by magnetic attraction of an insert 17 on terminal wheel 16, the gear train 15 is held against rotation and consequently the power of spring 4 is released in the usual way through the gear train 13 controlled by the escapement mechanism 14, However, when the wheel 16 is released for free rotation of the gear train 15, as by withdrawing the magnetic field from close proximity to the slug 17, the intermittent detention or stoppage of gear train 13, results in the immediate rotation of gear train 15 under the impetus of the differential and spring 4 to wipe out or zero set the clock by permitting the unwinding of the tensioned spring.

One convenient way of providing automatic means actuated by the presence of a car in a parking area or stall to unlock gear train 15 so that the energy stored in the tensioned spring 4 may be immediately released is to provide a magnetic control affected by the presence of the mass of a vehicle in a parking stall. To accomplish this control without depending entirely on the effect of the car on the slug 17 of the wheel 16, we provide an extension housing 18 carried by the meter housing 2, and oriented therein is a compass bar or magnet 19, the magnet being positioned on installation in such position that when a car is parked its mass will attract the magnet 19 toward the car as indicated at A in Figure 3. In this position the opposite end of the magnet 19 will be so close to the control wheel 16 that when the slug 17 overlies said magnet, the attraction thereof will hold wheel 16 against rotation, to lock gear train 15. All the power of the spring is thus available through the differential drive to rotate the timing gear train 13.

When the car is removed from the parking stall, wheel 16 is freed for rotation to permit spring 4 to immediately unwind or Zero set. It is preferred to mount a magnet 20 in the housing 18 to insure that when the magnet 19 is unrestrained it will swing to such position as to no longer attract and hold slug 17 so that there is no interference to rotation of control wheel 16.

The other elements shown in the drawings are auxiliary to a parking meter, and are illustrated as a matter of convenience, as follows: 21 is a pointer or time indicator journaled on a stub shaft 21A carried by frame 1. This pointer 21 is normally held down in zero set position by a spring 22. The pointer 21 also has a cam follower 213. When shaft 5 is rotated to wind the clock, a cam 23 keyed to the shaft 5 pushes the follower 21B to elevate the indicator or pointer 21 to register paid-for time on the meter as shown in Figure 4. As the spring 4 unwinds the follower 21B follows the cam 23 and permits the follower 21 to be pulled down by spring 22 to register time as it elapses.

Normally a red signal or violation flag 24 is exposed in the meter head as shown in Figure 1, said flag being journaled on the shaft 5 and held elevated or exposed by a spring 25. This flag, however, during meter operation is not visible since immediately a coin is deposited in the coin carrier 26 and the shaft 5 is rotated, a cam 27 on the flag 24 is struck to lower the flag and said flag is held down by movement of a cam 28 under an extension 29 of the flag until paid-tor time has lapsed or the device is otherwise zero set.

From the above description and drawings, it will be apparent that we have produced a construction embodying all of the'features of advantage set forth as desirable; and while we have described and illustrated the preferred embodiment it is to be understood that we reserve the right to all changes within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

I. In a parking timing meter positioned adjacent a vehicle parking stall, a tensioned operating spring, a time control apparatus regulating the rate of spring unwinding to measure the desired time interval, and magnetic means effective by removal of a car from a parking stall to by-pass the time control apparatus and permit immediate unwinding of the spring, said magnetic means including a magnetic spring driven control wheel and a magnetic bar compass held in a predetermined position by the mass of a vehicle in a parking stall to hold the control wheel against rotation.

2. In a parking timing meter arranged adjacent a car parking stall, a tensioned spring, a differential driven by said spring, a time controlled take-01f from said differential to measure elapsed time by intermittent release of the spring,a second power take-off from said differential, and means to lock the second power take-off effected by the mass of a car in the parking stall, said means being released by movement of the car from the stall to allow immediate unwinding of the spring through operation of the second power take-off.

3. In a parking timing meter arranged adjacent a car parking stall, a tensioned operating spring a differential driven by said spring, a time controlled take-off to be driven by said differential to measure elapsed time by intermittent release of the spring, a second power take-'ofi from said differential, and holding means adaptedto be actuated by a car in a parking stall to lock the second power take-off against operation, so that release of the spring will be governed by the-time controlled take-off, said holding means being released by movement of the car from the stall to allow immediate unwinding of the spring through operation of the second power take-off.

References Cite-d in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,367,148 Kennedy Feb. 1, 1921 2,095,114 Wood et al. Oct. 5, 1937 2,312,077 Cowles Feb. 23, 1943 2,575,650 Alexander Nov. 20, 1951 2,631,664 Poole Mar. 17, 1953 

